Process for the manufacture of meerschaum pipes



Patented Apr. 21, 1942 1 UNITED STATE PROCESS FOR THEMANUFAC'I'URE OF CHAUM PIPES Ernest magma, New rm, N. I.

No Drawing. Application October 12, 1939,

Serial m. 'mass 4 Claims. (CI. 18 55)- This invention relates to a method for the manufacture of pipes and cigarette holders of meerschaum and similar meerschaum articles. It relates in particular to the manufacture of articles of the named type where a low grade meerschaum, meerschaum compositions, meerschaum waste or meerschaum powder is used as a starting material. I

As generally known, two main requirements dominate the manufacture of this type articles.

The finished product must be sumciently resistant to mechanical stresses and to breakage and it must have the aspect, the color and the lustre of a pipe which is made-from a first grade meerschaum material.

Numerous methods have been suggested to comply with these requirements.

In order to obtain the lustre and the soft tint as well as the color of, a superior meerschaum pipe a treatment with wax has been considered indispensable.

For this purpose the shaped article has been impregnated with wax or immersed in wax or in mixtures of wax with certain oils or oleagenous materials.

The thus treated article is fragile and has no resistance to impacts or shocks. v It has also the tendency to crack in use.

In order to remedy this insufliciency the shaped and waxed article is treated or impregnated with varnishes or lacquers and is subsequently hardened'by a heat treatment.

The results of these known treating methods of meerschaum articles however have not been satisfactory in as much as the mechanical resistance and the lustre 'of the finished products is greatly. inferior to a pipe which is cut from a first quality meerschaum.

Besides, the known treating methods which include a plurality of working steps are rather complicated. Furthermore it often happens that seemingly by the interaction of the wax and the coating lacquers blisters are created when the pipe is heated which blisters create an exfoliation the coatings.

The above mentioned drawbacks methods of manufacturing meerschaum pipes and similar articles are obviated by this invenone I The latter is based on the suprising discovery that all-the requirements of a highest grade meerschaum pipe may be satisfactorily fulfilled without subjecting the pipes to the customary tiresome wax treatment.

of the knowninvention is confined to meerschaum smoker articles for which a waxed treatment has been hitherto considered essential; therefore the elimination of this treating step signifies an invention. However, the invention has-no bearing on the application of materials like briar wood which is largely used for the manufacture of tobacco pipes, which are coated for instance with solutions of a mixture of urea resin and nitrocellulose. A

It is therefore an object of the invention to produce a meerchaum'pipe or similar meerschaum article particularly from a low quality meerschaum and from meerschaum compositions or powders without subjecting the article to a wax.- ing treatment and nevertheless to obtainby the sole .application of synthetic resin solutions an article which equals in outer appearance, lustre, color and tint to the genuine high grade article.

It is another object of the invention to increase the mechanical resistance of the pipe to such an extent that it not alone equals but is superior to a pipe which is made from the highest grade meerschaum.

It is a further object of the invention to prevent the creation of blisters when the pipe is heated which cause exfoliation of the coatings and render the pipe practically useless.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent when the description proceeds.

As mentioned previously it is known to apply lacquers and varnishes f. i. copal lacquers to waxed meerschaum pipes.

In contradiction to the known methods the invention is based on the new discovery that the waxing treatment may be entirely eliminated if diluted solutions of synthetic resins are adopted for the treatment of the shaped article; in other words the known treating methods for meerschaum pipes which embrace a plurality of different operating stages namely waxing, oiling and lacquering or varnishing are replaced in the present case by the sole treatment with solutions of synthetic resins.

This treatment may be improved by using a solution of a plurality or a mixture of difierent synthetic resins, which are selected in order to vary the lustre and color or the mechanical properties of the treated articles.

In accordance therewith it may be specifically pointed out that the In conformity with theobjects of this invention the pipes are impregnated or treated therefore with a uniform substance only and the source of blister creation is eliminated.

The lustre and the color of the finished prod-- net and its resistance to impacts and to breakage equals that of a pipe which is cut from the best quality meerschaum.

Furthermore it is possible to conceal folds,

fissures, cracks resulting from the manufacturing process by applying to the article a coating of colored or white synthetic resin solutions,

whereas in similar cases with waxed pipes ornamental designs are applied to the faulty surface which considerably of the article.

lessens the commercial value In accordance with my invention the shaped .The shaped article is impregnated with or immersed in a diluted solution of a synthetic resin e. g. of the urea or phenol-formaldehyde type. Known organic solvent e. g. butyl alcohol and xylol may be used to prepare the solution. The concentration of the diluted solution may vary between about 51:0 35%, however the more diluted solutions .are preferable. The synthetic resin solution may also be added into the mold where the-meerschaum pipe is subjected to the moulding action. The treatment with the synthetic resin solution may last several hours. Thereupon the article is dried at a temperature of approximately between 150 to 350 F. After this a coating of the same or of another synthetic resin solution may be applied to the article which then is dried again.

Example be performed whole procedure may be repeated. .Thereupon a coating of a white 'or colored synthetic resin liquor is applied and the pipe is then dried for approximately 30 minutes at about 300 F.

I claim: 1. Process for the manufacture of meerschaum pipes from pulverulent meerschaum consisting in I molding the pipe from said powder impregnating the molded pipe with a diluted and heated solusame a coating of the same ening said coating. 15

tion of at least one substance selected from the group consisting of phenol formaldehyde and urea resins, drying the article, applying to the type resins and hard- .2. Process for the manufacture of meerschaum pipes from pulverulent meerschaum consisting in moldingthe pipe from said material, heating the same to entirely remove the moisture, dipping the pipe for approximately eight hours in a solution containing 5 to 'of at least one substance selected from the group consisting of phenolformaldehydeand urea resins, drying the same at a temperature of approximately F., applying to the same a coating of the same type resins and hardening the same at a temperature of approximately 300 F.

3. Process for the manufacture of meerschaum pipes from pulverulent meerschaum consisting in molding the pipe from said powder impregnating the molded pipe with a diluted solution of at least one substance selected from the group consisting of phenol formaldehyde and urea resins, drying the article, applying to the same a coating of the same type resins and hardening said coating.

the last traces of moisture. The pipe is there- '40 4. Process for the manufacture .of meerschaum pipes from pulverulent meerschaum consisting in molding the pipe from said powder, impregnating and coating the molded pipe with a solution of at least one substance selected from the group consisting of phenol formaldehyde and urea resins, drying the article and hardening the said coating.

. ERNEST LICHTBLAU. 

